Player-piano pedal mechanism.



W. T. WAITE. PLAYER PIANO PEDAL MECHANISM. APPLIGATION FILED MAY 29, 1913.

1, 1 14,074. Patented 0011.20, 1914.

3 SHBETS-SHEET 1.

THE NORRIS PErERs C0,, PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. D. C.

W. T. WAITE. PLAYER PIANO PEDAL MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1913.

Patented Oct. 20, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO PROYD Llrnn WASHING min. I: 1

W. T. WAITE.

PLAYER PIANO PEDAL MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1913.

1,1 14,074. Patented 001;. 20, 1914.

3 SHEETSSHIIET 8.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM T. WAI'IE, 0F LAPORTE. INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO THE ORPHEOLA COMPANY,

OF LAPORTE, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

PLAYER-PIANO PEDAL MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 20, 191%.

Application filed May 29, 1913. Serial No. 770,580.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM T. \VAITE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Laporte, in the county of Laporte and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Player-Piano Pedal l\lechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention pertains in general to player pianos and has more particular reference to the mechanism for positioning the pedals, which in pianos of this general type are adapted to be swung from operative position outside the piano case to inoperative position within the case when the instrument is to be played by hand.

The primary object of my present invention is the provision of novel mechanism for positively moving the player pedals from operative to inoperative position and vice versa.

Another object of the invention is the provision of improved means for locking the player pedals in operative position and also the provision of means for locking them in inoperative position, and furthermore to provide a single positioning'pedal by means of which the movements of the player pedals between operative and inoperative positions are effected and by means of which the locking mechanisms are controlled.

Additional objects and the ensuing advantages of this invention will be better appreciated by those skilled in the art as the invention is more fully understood by reference to the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings: Figure l is a plan view of a player piano pedal mecha nism embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation of certain details of the invention; Fig. 4: is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view; and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing the manner of mounting the inner ends of the bellows shaft.

011 the drawings, reference character 6 designates generally the frame or the case of a piano, which may be of standard or any approved construction. A bellows comprising the stationary member 7 and the movable member 8 is mounted in the frame in the usual manner and a spring 9 connected at one end to the member 8 and at its other end to a stationary bracket 11 normally retains the bellows in closed position. End brackets 12 and a center bracket 18 are mounted upon the front of the member 7 and are formed to provide suitable bearings for the bellows operating shafts 141 and 15, the bracket 13 serving as a bearing for the inner ends of both shafts as is clearly evident from Fig. 5. An arm 16 is fixed to the outer end of each shaft and is connected to a finger 17 projecting downwardly from the movable member 8 by means of a link 18. It will be apparent from Figs. 1 and 2 that when either of the shafts 141 and 15 is rocked in a counter-clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 2, the bellows will be opened against the force of the spring 9, which will again close the bellows when the bellows shaft is released. The shafts 14: and 15 also carry, adjacent the bracket 13, upwardly projecting arms 19 to the free ends of which the operating links 21 are attached. These links are actuated from the player pedals to operate the bellows in a manner which will be later described.

In forwardly projecting extensions 22 of the brackets 12 is rotatably mounted a shaft 23, which carries the panel board 2 1. The panel board may be rigidly attached to the shaft in any preferred manner, but in the present instance I have shown metal members 25 bolted, or otherwise aiiixed to the panel board and pinned or splined to the shaft The outer ends of the members 25 are shaped to provide supports 26 upon which the player pedals 27 are pivoted, as at 28. Each pedal has a downwardly extending arm 29 to which the outer end of a telescopic link 21 is attached, so that pressure applied to the upper face of a pedal will cause the arm 29 to swing outwardly, thereby pulling upon the link 21 to rock the shaft 14 or 15 and therebv operate the bellows. The links 21 each comprise two members adapted to slide past or telescope one into the other so that when the panel board and player pedals carried thereby are swung on the shaft 23 into the inoperative position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the links will automatically shorten to permit this movement without disconnection from the arms 19.

It has been customary prior to my invention to swing the player pedals from operative to inoperative position and vice versa by hand, but by means of the novel mechanism, which will now be described, these movements of the player pedals maybe effected by a simple readily manipulatable foot mechanism. Vith this end in view I have provided an auxiliary pedal 31 which 1 will designate a positioning pedal. This pedal is pivotally mounted at 32 upon a bracket or standard 33 aiiixed to the piano frame and is normally held in the elevated position shown in Fig. 2 by a leaf spring 34 or other suitable means. Upon the end of the shaft 23 adjacent the positioning pedal is fixed a disk 35, which is shaped to provide inclined surfaces 36 and 37 terminating at their inner ends, in shoulders 38 and 39 respectively. An upwardly extending bar or rod 41 pivotally mounted at 42 in a slot of the positioning pedal carries at its upper end a pin 43 overlying the disk 35 andadapted to engage with the shoulders 38 and 39 to rotate the shaft 23 in one direction or the other when the positioning pedal is depressed. A leaf the positioning pedal adjacent the bar 41 is provided at its upper end with a tooth 48, which when the pedal is in normal elevated position engages in a notch 49 or a notch 51 provided in the disk 35, thereby locking the shaft 23 against accidental rotation.

Assuming that the parts are inthe position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 with the player pedals in operative position, should it be desired to swing the pedals to inoperative position, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the positioning pedal 31 is pressed downs wardly to first withdraw the tooth 48 from,

engagement in the notch 49 and then cause the pin 43 to travel along theinclined face 36 into engagement with the shoulder 38,

whereupon further downward movement ofv the positioning pedal will cause the disk 35 and shaft 23v to rotate carrying the panel boa-rdand player pedalsupwardly into in operative position. When the pressure on the pedal 31 is released the spring 34 will return it to normal elevated position so thatv upon the next actuation of the positioning pedal the pin 43 will engage the shoulder 39 and rotate the shaft 23 in a reverse direction to swingthe panel board and. player.

pedals into operative position. For the purpose of balancing the panel board and player.

pedals in their swinging movements 1 have provided a co1led spr1ng 52 surroundmg the projecting end of the shaft 23 and fixed at one end to the extension 22 and at itsother, V

inoperative position as the depression of the end to the, shaft.

It will be manifest that the tooth 48 engaging in the notch 49 or the notch 51 will lock the shaft 23 against rotation and thereby retain the player pedals in operative or inoperative position, as the case may be. In order, however, to relieve this locking mechanism of the strain incident to manipulation of the player pedals which has a tendency to elevate the outer end of the panel board off from the floor, 1 have provided a locking device, which will now be described, adapted to engage directly with the panel board and lock the same against tilting movements when the instrument is being played. It will be understood that the rear end of the panel board extends rearwardly some distance back of the shaft 23. The frame 6 is provided adjacent the rear end of the panel board with a transversely extending shelf or ledge 53, which carries a locking block 54 hinged to the ledge at 55. The loci:- ing block is normally retained in forward position, as shown in Fig. 4, by a contraction spring 56 fastened at one end to the block and its other end to a pin 57 on the bracket extension 22. When the panel board is moved to operative position this block will be forced rearwardly against the force of spring 56 by the upwardly swinging rear end of the panel board and after the end has passed will be drawn under the rear end of the panel board to prevent tilting of the board on the shaft 23 when the playerpedals are manipulated.

For the purpose of releasing the locking block whenever it may be desirable to swing the player pedals intoinoperative position, I provide a U-shaped member 58 journaled in suitable bearings 59 and 61, one end of the member being attached to an end of the locking block 54 by a pin and slot connection 62, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The other end of the member 58 projects upwardly parallel to the end attached to the locking block and its extremity is bent outwardly, as indicated at 63, to be normally disposed beneath the overhanging inclined end 64 of a release device 65 pivoted at 66 on thepositioning pedal. The guide member 45 is recessed to receive the release device 65 and a. sp ring6'rfixed to the frame of the instrument normally urges the release device forwardly on its pivot againstv the front Wall of the recess in the guide 45, so that the. releasedevice is yieldingly maintained in substantially vertical position with its end 64 disposed over the end 63 of the member 58. Whenthe positioning pedal is depressedthe inclined lower face of the end 64 is brought into engagement with the end 63 to rock the member 58 rearwardly, thereby swinging the locking block 54 out from beneath the end, of. the panel board 24 to permit the panel board to be swung up into positioning pedal is continued. Upon upward return movement of the positioning pedal engagement of the upper inclined face of the end 64 with the end 63 will cause the release device to swing rearwardly on its pivot against the force of the spring 67 and past the end 63, whereupon it will be returned by the spring 67 to vertical position directly over the end 63. It will thus be apparent that the locking block 54 is automatically Withdrawn from operative position upon each actuation of the positioning pedal and that it is automatically returned to operative position beneath the rear end of the panel board 2 1 when the positioning pedal is released.

It is believed that my invention and its mode of operation will be fully understood from the foregoing without further descrip tion and it will be apparent that the single positioning pedal is employed to swing the player pedals from operative to inoperative positions and vice versa, and also to lock the pedal carrying shaft against rotation and to control the panel board locking device.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention I do not Wish to be limited to the exact structure disclosed, since the invention is capable of embodiment in various forms within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a player piano pedal mechanism, the combination of a pivotally mounted player pedal, foot operated means for moving said pedal into operative and inoperative positions and means releasable by said foot operated means adapted to positively lock said pedal in both positions.

2. In a player piano pedal mechanism, the combination of a player pedal, a positioning pedal, means operated by the positioning pedal for positively moving said player pedal into operative and inoperative positions, means for automatically locking said player pedal in operative position, and means for automatically locking said player pedal in inoperative position.

3. In a player piano pedal mechanism, the combination of a panel board, player pedals mounted thereon, a positioning pedal, connections between said positioning pedal and said panel board whereby said board is raised and lowered upon alternate actuations of said positioning pedal, and means controlled by said positioning pedal for locking said panel board in both positions.

4. In a player piano pedal mechanism, the combination of a pivotally mounted panel board forming a door in the front of the piano case, player pedals mounted thereon, a positioning pedal, and means connecting said positioning pedal and panel board for oscillating said panel board on its pivot alternately in opposite directions to move said player pedals into operative and inoperative positions respectively upon successive actuations of the. positioning pedal.

5. In a player piano pedal mechanism, the combination of a shaft, a panel board carried thereby, player pedals mounted on said panel board, a positioning pedal and connections between said shaft and said positioning pedal whereby the shaft is alternately rotated in opposite directions to raise and lower the panel board upon successi e actuations of the positioning pedal.

6. In a player piano pedal mechanism, the combination of a shaft, player pedals mounted to swing with said shaft, a disk carried by said shaft and provided with oppositely disposed shoulders, a positioning pedal, a bar carried by said positioning pedal and positioned to alternately engage the shoulders on said disk upon actuation of the positioning pedal whereby the player pedals are alternately moved to operative and inoperative positions.

7. In a player piano pedal mechanism, the combination of a shaft, a player pedal fixed with respect to said shaft to move therewith, a disk carried by said shaft, a positioning pedal, means for normally holding said positioning pedal in elevated position, a device carried by said positioning pedal in position to engage said disk and rotate the shaft in opposite directions upon successive actuations of the positioning pedal, and means for locking said shaft at the end of its movement in both directions.

8. In a player piano pedal mechanism, the combination of a panel board, a player pedal carried thereby, a positioning pedal, means carried by the positioning pedal for moving said panel board and player pedal into operative and inoperative positions, a device for automatically locking said panel board in operative position, and means actuated by said positioning pedal for releasing said locking device to permit the panel board to be moved to inoperative position upon downward movement of the positioning pedal.

9. In a player piano pedal mechanism, the combination of a panel board fulcrumed between its ends, player pedals carried thereby, a locking device adapted to engage the inner end of said board to retain the pedals in operative position, a positioning pedal, means actuated upon initial movement of said positioning pedal to release said locking device, and means actuated by further movement of said positioning pedal to swing the panel board and player pedals into inoperative position.

10. In a player piano pedal mechanism, the combination of a panel board fulcrumed intermediate its ends, player pedals carried thereby, a block, means for automatically positioning said block beneath the inner end of said panel board when the player pedals are in operative position, and means for withdrawing said block and subsequently swinging the panel board to inoperative position.

11. In a player piano pedal mechanism, the combination of a shaft, a shouldered disk affixed thereon, player pedals carried by said shaft, a positioning pedal, connections between said positioning pedal and said disk for oscillating said shaftwhereby to place the player pedals in operative and inoperative positions, and means carried by said positioning pedal for engaging said disk to hold the shaft against rotation at the completion of its movement in either direction.

12. In a player piano pedal mechanism, the combination of a shaft, a disk aihxed thereon and provided with a pair of shoulders and a pair of notches, a positioning pedal, a tooth carried thereby in position to engage the notches in said disk, a bar carried by said positioning pedal, a pin projecting from said bar to engage a shoulder on said disk when the positioning pedal is depressed whereby to rotate said shaft, and means for returning said positioning pedal to normal position with said tooth engaged in a notch in said disk.

13. In a player piano pedal mechanism,

said shaft against rotation at the end of its movementin each direction, a locking device adapted to lock said player pedals 1n operatlve position, and means carried by said positioning pedal for releasing said locking device upon initial movement of said positioning pedal. I v

14:. In a player piano pedal mechanism, the combination of a panel board, a player pedal carried thereby, a positioning pedal, means operated by the positioning pedal for moving said panel board and player pedal into operative and inoperative positions, and a device for automatically locking said panel board in inoperative position, said device being connected with said positioning pedal so that it will be released from locking position upon a downward movement of said pedal to thereby permit the panel board to be moved into operative position.

WILLIAM T. WAITE. Witnesses:

HOWARD B. MORENUS, H. V. MOLAUGHLIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G. 

